“Teflon” Jon Jones Released From Jail, Will Fight Cormier in April

It looks like Jon Jones has once again dodged a bullet that was threatening to derail his fighting career. This morning the UFC light-heavyweight title contender and human traffic violation was released on his own recognizance after spending two days in an Albuquerque jail cell following a controversial traffic stop last week.

Jones admitted to violating his probation (which the fighter was sentenced to last September after a hit-and-run incident involving a pregnant woman and a stack of cash) when he was ticketed last week for drag racing and exhibition driving, among other charges, during this morning’s hearing in New Mexico’s Second Judicial District Court. Judge Michael E. Martinez responded by beefing up the conditions of Jones’ probation, though not as much as the Bernalillo County district attorney would have liked or the drivers of Albuquerque probably deserve. Under the new terms of his probation (which is set to last another 12 months) Jones agreed to attend anger-management classes (likely punishment for Jones calling his ticketing officer last week a “fucking pig” and a “liar”) and driver-improvement courses (likely punishment for the last four years of Jones’ life), perform 60 more hours of community service (on top of the 76 appearances he’s already completed), and get approval from his probation officer every time he drives.

However, Martinez declined the DA’s request to impose a nightly curfew that would have forced Jones to be home every night between 10pm and 4am, which means Jones will be able to fight Daniel Cormier for the light-heavyweight belt at UFC 197 on April 23. Which is great for us as MMA fans and (probably) great for Daniel Cormier as Jones’ opponent, but the jury will remain out as to whether leniency and another slap on the wrist is really the best thing for Jon Jones.